As the 2025 WNBA regular season nears, the Indiana Fever recently played a preseason game against the Brazilian national team at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, home to the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Fever star Caitlin Clark, who made her mark at Iowa from 2021 to 2024, became the NCAA’s all-time leading career scorer. The university even marked the spot on the court where she made the shot that secured that record.
On a podcast, Megan Rapinoe, partner of former WNBA star Sue Bird, shared what she admires most about Clark. “One of the things I love about Caitlin is her ability to rise to the moment and deliver what everyone expects of her. She made that record-breaking shot, showing her star power.”
In the game against the Brazilian national team, Clark sank a long 3-pointer from roughly the same spot where she made her historic shot.
Being an exceptional athlete is one thing, but when an athlete can engage the crowd without detracting from the team’s goals, they bring something extra to the game.
Clark had a standout rookie season in the WNBA, averaging 19.2 points and a league-leading 8.4 assists per game. She earned Rookie of the Year honors and a spot on the All-Star team.
With her contributions, the Fever improved from a 13-27 record in 2023 to a 20-20 record, earning a playoff spot for the first time since 2016. After being swept in the first round of last year’s playoffs, the Fever are now considered championship contenders.
They strengthened their roster by adding veteran forward Natasha Howard, a potent scorer, and selecting Makayla Timpson, a strong frontcourt player from Florida State, in last month’s draft. With Clark, guard Kelsey Mitchell, and forward Aliyah Boston already on the roster, the Fever have a promising core.
